Francine C. Coss
Following the month-long discussion of pets and the class pet culminating activity of pet adoption during the Pet Show theme, the children will then begin their study of farm animals. The food chain will automatically enter the discussion of animals on a farm due to the nature of the animals’ existence. Animals for consumption as well as animal by-products will be discussed. The purpose of keeping pets will naturally be compared to the purpose of keeping farm animals. Discussions on environment and habitat will reoccur under the new theme of farm life. Foods that are consumed by the children will be connected to the farm animal studied using a picture diagram of the animal and its provided food or by-product. The children will then study the food eaten by the farm animals and discuss the relationship between what the farm animals consume and how it effects the food they provide to humans. A simple food chain illustrating what each farm animal consumes and what humans consume from that farm animal will be created and displayed in the classroom. Hazardous food products for the animals will be defined and human reaction to those hazardous products will be reviewed. A visit to Field View Dairy Farm will provide the children with a better understanding of animal products that humans consume. A discussion of habitat cleanliness and environmental conditions will take place both during and following the farm trip. The simple food chain illustrations will be revisited and edited from the children’s increased knowledge of farm animals.
The culminating activities of butter churning (See Items 1A and 1B) and ice cream making (See Item 2) will offer additional discussion and comparison of food products that come from animals and that are consumed regularly by humans. Ingredients from store-bought butter and ice cream will be listed and compared to the ingredients from the class-made items. Discussion of ingredient necessity versus product life will come into play as the children compare ingredients and palatability of both the store-bought and the class-made products.
Unit II: Sample Lesson Plan
See Items 1A, 1B, and 2 for Materials and Preparation on following page.
(figure available in printed form)